Halloween special
by BadgebunnyUK
Summary: Some Halloween fun. Delia is fascinated by the arrival of a mysterious new midwife- Patience Mount. Supernatural nonsense. Two parts- second to be posted tomorrow.
1. Chapter 1

A/L- I love this time of year and what with watching Carmilla and Crazyhead just recently I thought why not have a bash at a supernatural CTM fic. Just a bit of fun. Two parts only. With post final part tomorrow. Thanks for reading.

Her cape billowed in the wind behind her, tangling with the long strands of ruby red hair, whipping out lashes as the rest of her remained still. Light seemed to seep around her figure, the outline emblazoned on the stark cold stones she stood against.

Delia had the feeling that she was moving away from her, into the distance, dark eyes watching her go, dark as the night, dark as the coal from the pit.

Delia reached out a pale hand, strained, against something hard, something holding her back.

"Don't let me go!" She cried. "Don't leave me!"

She woke. A fine sheen of sweat covered her entire body and as she panted for breath her skin seemed to cool all of a sudden and she shivered pulling the bedclothes around her. The same dream, perhaps more detail, her hair hadn't been so red before? She hadn't felt the panic, the loss quite so strongly. It was as if every night added a new facet and as it did the dream grew sharper, longer, like something inching it's way toward being fully revealed. If only she could get a full night's sleep perhaps she would reach the end of the dream and it would all make sense. Either that or…

"Delia? Are you up?"

She heard the call from the other side of her door, snapping her back to reality.

"Yes, I'll be out in a second Babs." Delia replied getting quickly out of bed and pulling the rumpled blankets straight behind her, not exactly hospital corners but it would do.

"Breakfast's ready." Her friend announced.

"Oh Barbara, you're a little gem!" Delia said, pulling on her dressing gown as she left her room only to come up against the plastic green face of a witch. Delia started for a moment, not expecting to find her friend hovering outside her door and particularly not wearing a childish face mask. "Goodness Babs! What on earth are you doing with that!"

Barbara poked the tip of her tongue through the small gap on the brightly painted mask, her hands held aloft, fingers curled and wiggling at Delia as she attempted a witchy cackle.

"Aaahhah hahhh hahh heee!"

Barbara finally straightened and pulled the mask from her face. "What? It's a mask, I picked it up for you when I went on my shopping expedition last week. I thought you could use it for the party, with the cubs!" Barbara explained to a speechless Delia.

"Thanks." Delia offered. "I was just going to powder the face up a bit but it was a nice thought, I suppose I could give it a go."

"You have to get into the spirit of these things Delia." Barbara chided. "The cubs are very excited."

"I know. I will. I just didn't sleep very well again, sorry." Delia apologized as she sat at the small dining table with her toast and heaped on some of the bowl of scrambled eggs that Barbara had prepared.

Barbara sat and handed Delia a mug of tea, recieving a very grateful smile in exchange.

"Oooh, the new midwife arrived last night!" Barbara hooted suddenly, wiggling in her seat with uncontainable excitement.

"Last night?" Delia checked. "I thought she was due this morning?"

"Yes, so did everyone else and then she just appeared. Trixie was on her way home from a birth and she almost ran right into her, I think it gave her quite the shock."

"So what's she like?" Delia asked keenly.

"Very efficient and well mannered, she seems to know her stuff, I'm sure you'll like her, but you can see for yourself when you get dressed." Barbara urged. "We have clinic."

Xxx

"Nurse! Can someone help me!" Dr Turner called from behind a curtain.

Delia dipped behind the curtain at exactly the same time as another nurse on the opposite side of the sheeted off area.

Dr Turner looked from one to the other who stared directly at one another.

"Oh, one of you, could you just hand me some

Delia dragged her eyes from the woman before her and hurried to the supply station before returning. The new nurse had disappeared and Delia searched the room for her, she found she wanted to check what she had seen, to rid herself of the strange feeling that she recognised the redhead, indeed that she knew her.

Delia caught sight of her a moment later in conversation with a waiting woman and took the next opportunity to stride over to her and catch her alone.

"Hello!" Delia called as she approached. "I'm afraid we haven't been formally introduced. I'm Delia." She held out a small had, suddenly feeling a shake to her usual confidence as the taller woman turned her eyes on her.

"Patricia Mount. Patsy." The woman smiled, her arms folded across her chest.

Delia completely forgot she was holding out a hand and let it hang limply at her side as she finally came face to face and up close to the beautiful newcomer. Stunning was definitely the most appropriate word for her and Delia was certainly stunned.

"I..I'm sorry….have we?...Do I? I could swear I've met you before.." Delia stammered.

"I get that a lot." Patsy assured with amusement in her eyes. "I must have one of those faces." She shrugged.

Delia nodded agreement that she did not feel. One of those faces? Nothing could be further from the truth. There was nothing commonplace about this woman's face. Delia could hardly bear to tear her eyes away from Patsy's. What the hell had come over her?

"Nurse Busby!"

Delia ignored the call for a second, shaking off the sound as she fought to keep connected to this stranger, she suddenly placed a hand to Patsy's elbow and asked urgently.

"Do you have any plans for tonight?"

Patsy glanced at where Delia's hand lay and Delia thought perhaps she should release the woman but she somehow couldn't do it. Not yet.

"There's a party, the cubs are holding a Halloween disco, it will only be small but perhaps you'd like to come along, Trixie and Babs are coming and… I'll be there...perhaps we could go somewhere... after… for a drink?" Delia held her breath.

"Why not." Patsy shrugged nonchalant.

"It's at the village hall, six o'clock." Delia informed as she backed away from Patsy and toward an increasingly furious Nurse Crane.

She felt Patsy's eyes on her as she finally turned to face the wrath of Nurse Crane and though she nodded in convincing contrition she did not hear a word of the reprimand she was given.

Xxx

"I can't believe you." Barbara announced. "One minute you have no interest at all in Halloween and now you're behaving like it's the highlight of the social calendar." She called to Delia who was precariously balanced hanging the banner that the cubs had worked on last week.

"At least it's all indoors, unlike Bonfire night, I ruined a perfectly good set of heels at last year's event." Trixie remarked as she finished her cigarette.

"Yes well standing in the middle of a muddy field in November will do that for you Trixie, perhaps you will wear more appropriate footwear this year." Barbara shot over her shoulder as she stepped back and took in the sight of the banner.

"I don't own any wellingtons if that's what you're getting at." Trixie shot back.

"It's a little… gory isn't it?" Barbara asked as she actually looked at the content of the banner which included several dismembered bodies and rather a lot of red paint splashed around as blood.

"It's Halloween Babs!" Delia reminded, scurrying over to dump some apples in the large pot that Mrs B had lent them for the night.

"Hmmm, I suspect the cubs have been influenced by the Hammer Horror double bill that's been playing all week." Trixie teased.

A gaggle of very small girls appeared hovering in the doorway, each wearing a black dustbin bag turned upside down with holes cut for head and limbs. Cardboard cones fashioned for hats had been covered in soot or boot polish.

"Arrghhh!" Shrieked Trixie clutching her chest.

"What a Fright!" Barbara yelped.

The small Witch coven gained a little confidence from the reaction and skipped inside with their collection of broomsticks, though one seemed to be holding a dirty mop.

Delia looked desperately at the clock, then back to the door, twisting her black gloved hands together nervously. Why was she getting herself into such a state over this evening? why did she feel such a desire to impress a woman she had just met? Perhaps now wasn't the time for such questions.

Fred had been tinkering beneath some kind of speaker system for the last half an hour and suddenly the blasted machine burst into life loudly, causing all the women to jump at the sound and a chorus of little witch screams. The volume was adjusted and in waltzed a group of cubs wearing old sheets and one covered entirely in bandages which looked to be the work of Sister Mary Cynthia who followed them in sheepishly as they made frightful noises.

Cynthia immediately spotted Delia and hurried over to her side. "Are you quite alright Delia?"

"Yes, thanks Cynthia, I feel a little strange tonight, like I may be coming down with something." Delia had felt peculiar all day starting with her recurring dream and culminating now with her stomach twisted and her temperature high.

Cynthia looked concerned. "Oh no. Well never fear, if you feel any worse I'm sure we can muddle through here without you. Sister Monica Joan is on her way and is very excited about the children's games she has planned and Nurse Crane is going to assist her. I don't mind seeing to drinks and then clearing up afterwards."

"Oh thank you. I might take you up on that later." Delia agreed gratefully.

Just then another song began. The Clovers, Love Potion No 9. Delia noticed that Tom had arrived and seemed to be dancing with both Trixie and Barbara at once. That was a disaster waiting to happen. Then on checking the door again she saw the figure she'd been waiting for.

Patsy stood in the doorway, one hand on her hip, leaning slightly against the frame and surveying the room lazily. The vision took Delia's breath away and that was before their eyes met.

"You're here. I thought you'd changed your mind." Delia greeted.

"I didn't have a costume, the nuns managed to cobble this together for me. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be but they were so sweet I couldn't let them down."

Patsy wore an old cape and a black mask over her eyes, long black leather boots which came up to her knee must belong to her, she would have noticed them in Sister Winifred's. Patsy looked like a sorceress crossed with Zorro and Delia thought that perhaps she should have a weapon, a sword for instance.

Delia passed Patsy a plastic cup filled with some kind of fruit punch then discreetly removed her hip flask and topped up the cup with something stronger.

"Cheers" Patsy giggled and they tipped their small plastic cups together.

"Thank you for inviting me, I haven't been to a party in a while." Patsy confessed.

"You're very welcome. It's not a real party, just… a fundraiser, the cubs… I said I'd help…"Delia was flustered again.

"Would you like to get some fresh air?" Patsy asked.

"You haven't spoken to anyone else yet! Don't you want to...mingle?" Delia checked hoping for the shake of the head that she received.

"I'm not much of a mingler." Patsy admitted.

Delia did a quick scan of the room and satisfied that all was well, boldly took Patsy's hand and led her out of the hall and down the steps into the cold night air feeling the rush as it hit her lungs and she laughed, feeling lightheaded and giddy.

Patsy laughed behind her the feeling obviously infectious. "Where are we going?"

"Anywhere." Delia called, still holding tightly to Patsy's hand.

She led Patsy away from the party and along a quiet street finally having to let go of Patsy's hand as they slowed to a stroll and moved side by side.

"I do feel like we've met before. More than just met actually, I feel like I know you." Delia confessed.

"You _have_ got it bad." Patsy muttered just loud enough for Delia to hear.

"What do you mean?" She asked quickly.

"Sorry,I just mean that… there have been other girls…" Patsy took the jealous look from Delia to be something else and changed tack. "Other _women_ who felt that way, perhaps they just hadn't met anyone like me before and …"

"Anyone like you?" Delia questioned.

"You know...a redhead." Patsy winked.

Delia looked puzzled. "I've met lot's of people!" She informed indignantly.

"Where are you from? South Wales?" Patsy asked now.

Delia nodded confirmation quietly, feeling a little self conscious about her humble beginnings.

"So perhaps I'm a little different to the girls from home." Patsy suggested.

"I don't understand. Are you trying to warn me?"

"Would that work?" Patsy tried.

"I doubt it." Delia replied honestly. "But...I do trust you."

Patsy stopped walking and shook her head slightly. "Did you ever wonder why?"

"I know we've just met… I shouldn't be saying these things... Does it bother you? I never did know when to keep quiet." Delia went on.

"It doesn't bother me." Patsy assured honestly.

"Alright, then tell me something…"

"Like what?" Patsy eyed her suspiciously.

" get to know you. To have a reason to trust you. Share something with me. Like...a secret or just things that people share...friends." Delia insisted.

"Alright, I will tell you somethin about me Delia Busby, whom I met only today… I'm a very private person,I don't share my secrets. I'm self sufficient and I intend to stay that way." Patsy said briskly but with a note of teasing.

"Hmmm, well that's a shame. Won't you tell me anything? Where are you from? You sound very English, southern, but posh with it, you're not a cockney." Delia speculated aloud.

"I've travelled a lot. I can tell you that much." Patsy allowed.

"Hah! That's something. Which place that you've traveled to did you like the most?" Delia posed.

"Paris." Patsy didn't even have to think about it.

"Paris! France!" Delia marvelled, she didn't even own a passport, the thought of visiting so many countries that you call to mind a favourite was amazing to her.

"Oui, Paris est très belle comme vous êtes!" Patsy complemented, banking on the fact that Delia did not speak French.

"What was the worst place?" Delia continued oblivious.

Patsy stopped, her face fell and a pained frown appeared in such contrast to the easy joy that had so recently been written on those features.

"This isn't a game Delia." She said, her jaw tight.

"I'm sorry." Delia offered quickly. "I didn't mean to upset you."

Patsy closed her eyes for a moment as she calmed, when she opened them again she saw Delia shiver.

"You're cold." Patsy stated slipping the black jacket from her own shoulders and moving to wrap it around Delia.

"No! I mean, won't you? You'll freeze!" Delia protested.

Patsy shook her head. "It's fine. I don't feel the cold."

Delia put her hands to the jacket and pulled it snugly around herself, it lacked the warmth that she expected to find, Patsy's heat, but she was grateful for it anyway as she began to shiver and Patsy rubbed both her hands up and down Delia's arms trying to produce some warmth.

"I should take you home." Patsy informed with what Delia hoped was a note of regret.

" yet!" Delia begged.

Patsy narrowed her eyes at Delia but must have decided to take pity on her.

"Okay, then let's find somewhere for a coffee, you need to get inside." Patsy compromised.

Delia followed Patsy obediently along the next street towards the glow of light that spilled out onto the pavement from a small night cafe. Delia was thankful for the warmth and equally thankful that the cafe was almost empty and she would still be able to speak privately with the intriguing woman before her. She somehow felt that if tonight ended here she wouldn't get the same chance again, that the magic of first meeting would be gone and Patsy would put the same distance between them that Delia suspected she usually kept between herself and others.

Patsy ordered their drinks and brought them to the corner table that Delia had secured.

"Won't your friends wonder where you are?" Patsy asked again as she took her seat.

Delia shook her head, wrapping her numb fingers around the steaming mug. "I told Cynthia I wasn't feeling myself and might go home."

"Hmmm, it's as if you planned to abscond with me." teased Patsy.

Delia merely smiled and batted her eyelashes innocently.

"Anyway you were just about to tell me what brought you to Poplar?" Delia smoothly changed the subject.

"Really? I don't recall…" Patsy couldn't suppress her chuckle at Delia's frustrated expression and yet again she found herself humouring the Welsh woman. "I came to work. I've been back in London for months now and I thought it was time to work again, so here I am." Patsy shrugged.

"And you'll stay?" Delia questioned.

"For a while." Patsy agreed lighting the cigarette she held between her lips.

Delia didn't know whether to be pleased or disappointed, how long exactly was a while? Why was this woman so infuriatingly vague? Delia's attention was drawn briefly to three young men who had just entered and took up seats at a table in the centre of the cafe. One of the lads caught her looking and ducked his head in her direction with a cocky grin. Delia scowled and quickly turned to check whether Patsy had been witness to the interaction and was pleased to find she hadn't.

Patsy had long stripped herself of the eye mask and her outfit could easily pass for normal if not a little adventuress. Delia however suddenly saw her own heavy dark dress and imagined how her makeup must look in the bright light of the cafe.

Patsy briefly placed her hand to Delia's laying upon the table as if reading her mind. "You look enchanting." She assured. "It's fun to get the chance to dress up again."

Delia smiled. "I know it's for children really but I quite like having an excuse to join in. My Mam used to make us the best costumes in the village." Delia reminisced. "One year she used an old fur coat my aunt had passed on to her to make me a werewolf costume! I loved it! I wore it for a week before they finally got me out of it!"

Patsy chuckled at the memory Delia shared.

Delia looked around the stark interior, to the counter and over through the window to the darkness outside.

"Japan." Patsy stated after a moment more. "The worst place. I was in a camp as a child, during the war. Internment my family. I lost them there. My sister, my mother." Patsy did not let her eyes meet the soft brown ones opposite.

"Patsy I'm so sorry…" Delia began.

"That was only the beginning of the horror. Things happened there. Things that changed me forever. I'm not real anymore Delia. I'm a broken being. Nothing can change that." Patsy spoke so matter of factly, so resigned and another silence fell between the women. Delia moved to touch Patsy's finger with her own again but Patsy flicked her head to the group of men in the cafe and withdrew her hand.

"How's that for sharing?" Patsy asked at last. "Perhaps a tad dramatic, but it's true." She stubbed out her cigarette in the little tin ashtray and stood abruptly. "Come on, I'll take you home."

Delia had no choice but to quickly drain her mug as she stood and followed Patsy, the scrape of the chair legs on the floor sounded deafening in the quiet of the place.

Delia led them the long way home which meant they passed close by the dock yards which were completely empty at this hour and felt to Delia as much like a ghost town as any, so busy by day and virtually empty at this time, still signs of daily life scattered everywhere.

Delia didn't hear the approach but she felt Patsy stiffen to a kind of hyper alertness by her side, moving closer and taking Delia's arm to hurry them along. Delia instinctively turned and saw the figures of two people walking behind them.

Patsy brushed Delia's hand with her fingers as she whispered urgently. "Don't be afraid."

One of the men now skipped in front of them, walking backwards so he could face them, his hands in his pockets. "Evening ladies."

Delia wondered if he was one of the men from the cafe. She would have spoken, perhaps asked him except she was still processing Patsy's warning and she could feel some unease from the taller woman.

"What are the two of you doing out here so late?" He continued smiling wolfishly.

"Going home." Patsy informed, striding quickly but calmly with Delia just about keeping up.

"You ought not be hanging around out here in the dark, you don't know who or what could be lurking in the shadows." The young man jeered.

Delia didn't like him or the fact that he was intruding upon her time with Patsy, but she wasn't afraid. She didn't feel threatened at all, not until the moment that the other man who lingered behind them lunged quickly forward and wrapped both his arms around Delia's arms in a type of hold, pulling her back against him.

Delia wobbled off balance and felt hot breath on her neck, she thought she heard a snarl and her own yelp. The next moments were a blur; Delia felt a sudden tightness and then she was released. She turned to see her attacker on his knees his hands flailing in the air and Patsy towering over him, her hand wrapped around his throat as she reached for her boot and pulled out a long thin wooden stick which had been sharpened to a point. A stake.

Delia watched, her hands at her face, knowing what would happen next and wanting to look away but not wanting to enough, as she saw Patsy swing the weapon thump against the man's chest. It pierced through him and a noise like a cry, not from his mouth but from his very core seemed to sound around the dockyard as he crumbled, first like a balloon, the air escaping him and then like ashes, his skin curling then flaking away to nothing.

Patsy flicked a glance to the man who spoke to them originally who stood motionless his hands held up in surrender and taking a small backward step.

"I didn't realise she was taken. My apologies." He began. "I haven't seen you around here before, I know all our kind around here."

Delia tried to make sense of the words and Patsy finally turned to look at her.

Delia gasped. Patsy's face was contorted, her forehead sunken, her cheeks protruding and her eyes looked almost red. For a moment Delia thought perhaps she had been hit with something and then she saw them, the tips of two long fangs poking proudly below Patsy's top lip on either side of her mouth.

As the women stood locked in one another's gaze the young man took his chance to make his escape and quickly hopped over a railing as he left them.

Xxx


	2. Chapter 2

AL- Final part, sorry it's a little late I was out trick or treating with the kids last night and just didn't get time to finish. xx

"Pats?!" Delia asked, her voice a mere tremble on the wind. "Pats, are you?.."

Patsy shook her head as if against an unwanted sound, her features gradually softening before Delia's eyes until she looked as she had been before.

Patsy straightened and studied the scene briefly before turning back to Delia.

"They, those men they were… they wanted to hurt me...us. You, you stopped them." Delia fought to make sense of what she had seen. "They were...monsters, they were something, some thing… and you…"

"Try to breathe Delia, you're safe now." Patsy instructed gently.

"You. You were like them." Delia said a sudden moment of clarity as she stared directly at Patsy.

"Yes." Patsy agreed, a nod and a sad smile. "I was. I am."

Delia stepped forward, stretched out a shaking hand to touch Patsy, to check her. She ran a hand over her shoulder and down the length of her arm, feeling the strong muscle beneath her fingers, letting her eyes search the rest of Patsy's body for marks, for injury. "You're alright? They didn't hurt you?"

"No. Delia I'm fine." Patsy insisted. "They were weak. They couldn't hurt me."

"Good. That's good." Delia nodded suddenly grabbing her other hand onto Patsy's as her legs gave way beneath her.

Patsy gathered Delia in her arms and must have carried her to a nearby low wall, which she sat her on. Patsy knelt before her, a cool hand against Delia's flushed cheek.

"You've had a shock." Past told her. "I'll get you home and you can forget all about this, about me. I was foolish to come back…"

"No! No. You saved me. You protected me. I saw." Delia grasped Patsy's wrists.

"We were lucky tonight. We may not be so lucky again. Do you think you can stand?"

Delia nodded taking the hand that was offered to her as she rose shakily. A moment later as they walked through the night, through the strange fog that had descended just as Delia's own confusion had, a question occurred to her.

"What would they have done? If you hadn't have been there tonight. "

"Try not to think about that…"

"Please! Tell me. What would they do? What did they want to do?" Delia pleaded.

"Feed." Patsy admitted. "They wanted to feed from you."

"To bite me?"

"Yes."

"To drink my blood?"

"Yes."

"I thought that was just a story."

"Most stories come from some truth." Patsy offered in explanation. "Not everything you've heard is true, but not all of it is a lie."

Delia considered this as they approached the flat she shared with Barbara. She had a million questions but she didn't seem able to put any of them to words right now. She must be in shock if she was rendered speechless.

"It's this one" Delia pointed out as they reached the front door. She tried to make her key fit the lock but her hands would not obey her commands and seemed to shake all the more for her willing them not to.

Patsy stepped up behind Delia and took the key from her fingers. Delia felt her heart pound at the slightest contact, it wasn't fear she felt, she didn't want to think too hard about what it was.

"You're shaking like a leaf. Do you want me to fetch your friend?" Patsy asked as they stepped into the flat.

"No. Stay with me. Please?"

"Delia. Do you think that's a good idea? You just saw what I am."

" You wouldn't hurt me." Delia stated with some certainty.

"No? How can you be so sure?" Patsy posed hands on hips.

"You haven't so far and you could have, easily." Delia argued.

"A fact I am all too aware of Delia."

"Stay with me a little while. Barbra will be in bed and I know I won't sleep."

"Alright. Just until you want to sleep. I suppose you have questions." Patsy obliged.

"Only a million."

"Well, first things first." Patsy decided ih her take charge tone. "Tea."

Xxx

"Did they do this to you? In the camp?"

Delia had led Patsy to her bedroom with the reasoning that she didn't wish to wake her flatmate and now the two sat side by side on the edge of her bed.

"All kinds of things happened there that people don't know about. There were tests, scientists, Doctors. Chemical warfare. Weapon tests. Then there was us. A few of us, hand picked, selected, as if it was some kind of privilege. When the camps were liberated it was time for us to be disposed of."

"But you got away." Delia reminded.

"Three of us escaped. I couldn't have done it alone. We stayed together for a while. Safety in numbers. But eventually we went our separate ways. It took me some time to realise just how many of us there are out there."

"Tonight, those men, when he realised what… who you are, he left, as if… he didn't want to fight you."

"There's plenty of food to be had so we tend to stay out of one another's way." Patsy realised just how blunt she had been. "Sorry."

"Then why did you do what you did?" Delia mimed a stabbing motion.

"He had his hands on you." Patsy explained. "And I don't play by the rules anymore. I don't feed, not on unwitting humans, not now and I don't like those that do."

"You have, in the past? I mean you must have had no choice."

"The things you'll do to survive when you've already lived through so much… you'd be shocked, horrified." Patsy hung her head to hide the shame.

"Thank you." Delia whispered.

"For what?" Patsy asked clearly surprised.

"Being so honest with me. I know it's not easy for you to share so much."

"I can't seem to stop my mouth from running away with itself around you Delia, perhaps you have your own supernatural power…" Patsy raised a teasing brow at Delia that made her tummy flip.

"Is that what you meant earlier… about my having got it bad?... Part of your… you, you have the power to draw people to you?" Delia thought she remembered that from the stories from a film. The power to seduce.

"Not all people. Some are easier than others."

"Like me. I practically fell into your lap." Delia rolled her eyes at herself.

Patsy couldn't hide her smirk.

"Does it wear off? This infatuation? Does it last or will I get over it?" Delia asked trying to shake off her embarrassment.

"I'm not sure, it didn't used to get very far before I took advantage and then since I changed my habits I have kept far away from those who seem keen, prevent the temptation all together. "

"Until me?" Delia questioned almost smugly.

"Until you." Patsy agreed. "There was always going to be one temptation that is just too great."

Delia felt her cheeks burn.

"Either that or I felt ready to trust myself a little more. I suppose leaving France, the few friends I have, it's been lonely." Patsy confessed quietly and as casually as she could. "I haven't been in London in so long. I just wanted to make a friend."

Delia stretched up to quickly plant her lips against an unsuspecting Patsy.

Patsy looked startled. "We shouldn't." She placed her fingertips over the spot that Delia had kissed at the corner of her mouth. "Who knows the limits of my new found restraint? I'm certainly not willing to test them with you."

Delia looked wounded.

"Deels, it's not that I don't want to, quite the opposite in fact, I think you're terribly charming."

Delia winced at the sentiment and it's inevitable conclusion.

"It's fine, no need to explain, it was reckless…" Delia backtracked.

"You still don't even know your own mind, after everything tonight. I suppose I would just like to believe that if we... kissed... it would mean something to us both. You understand?" Patsy went on, her hand had moved to cover Delia's knee.

Delia nodded, dumbstruck, it wasn't a complete rejection then? Patsy was saying not now rather than not ever?

"Do you think you can sleep? It's late I should head back."

"Don't go. What if he's out there, looking for you?" Delia worried.

"He isn't and if he was; I can handle myself Delia, I promise." Patsy assured.

"Will I see you tomorrow?"

"Are you on shift?" A nod. "Then I'm sure our paths will cross."

Delia felt a panic; a sense of dread the second Patsy stood to leave and a sudden flash of memory from her dream, an image, like deja vu transfixed her.

"You were in my dream!" She voiced the revelation as she shot up from the bed.

"What?!" Patsy looked puzzled.

"I saw you. I dreamt you. I've been dreaming you all week. How is that possible? Is that another trick? Did you do that?" Delia felt for the first time this evening completely out of her depth, how could Patsy infiltrate her mind like that?

"No! How could I? I didn't know you until today. You must be mistaken. It could be someone like me, dreams are misleading things. Or perhaps you saw a picture of me, in my file, Nurse Crane, she has a copy of my file. I'm sure it has a photograph in there, from nursing school." Patsy seemed pleased with her own explanation.

"I didn't see it! I'd remember!" Delia protested.

"You may not even have realised that you saw it. The human mind is mysterious, it can do all kinds of things." Patsy went on. "You need rest then you can think more clearly tomorrow."

Patsy took Delia's hand and led her back to the bed, guiding her by the shoulders to sit down again. She knelt this time and slipped off Delia's shoes, one by one.

"Come on." Patsy patted the covers. "Lie down."

Delia did as she was told, making sure to keep her eyes open and fixed on Patsy.

"Are you going to put some kind of sleep spell on me now?" Delia asked, half serious.

"No!" Patsy looked insulted. "You overestimate my powers, perhaps if I could...If I could I would make you forget everything you've seen tonight, everything you now know." Patsy said in a soft soothing voice, leaning slightly over Delia.

"I wouldn't want that. Not to be ignorant, I'd rather know." Delia said plainly.

Patsy shook her head despairingly then moved to get up just as Delia moved her hands to prevent her, meaning to place them on the redheads upper arms but caught by Patsy's keen reflexes, her hands now captured by Patsy, palm to palm Patsy gently pushed Delia flat to the bed, her hands now pressed into the pillow either side of her head.

Patsy leant further over Delia now, their chests pressed together and dropped one kiss upon Delia's slightly parted lips.

"Goodnight Delia" Patsy said firmly as she moved away.

Delia felt she didn't breathe until Patsy had long gone and her heart resumed beating.

Xxxx

Delia found it strangely unreal and inappropriate to be going about her daily business and for everyone else to be going about theirs as if the whole world hadn't just changed, but then she supposed nothing had actually changed other than her level of knowledge.

She tried to get a moment alone with Patsy as she passed her in the corridor at Nonnatus that morning however Patsy only smiled and said "Alright." Which sounded more of a reassurance than a question.

Nurse Crane had gathered the midwives together for the early update and to delegate duties for the day.

Delia tried her best not to stare at Patsy the whole of the time but failed miserably.

"Nurse Mount you are to head to the maternity home to work alongside Dr Turner, they have three expectant mothers being admitted today and Nurse Turner is at home nursing a poorly child. So I could do with volunteer to accompany you actually..."

Delia's hand shot into the air before Nurse Crane could finish her request. The senior midwife scrutinised her notes for a moment before responding.

Patsy gave Delia a warning look.

"Yes Nurse Busby that will be sufficient, though why you are quite so excited by the prospect is beyond me."

Delia heard a muffled chuckle and turned to see Trixie beaming at her.

"Unless anyone has any questions, that will be all ladies." Nurse Crane announced with a "Let's get to it." for good measure.

Patsy marched quickly from the room without looking at Delia.

"I take it you're impressed by the new girl then!" Trixie remarked close to Delia.

"She seems interesting is all." Delia defended. "Between you two and a load of nuns it's hard to get a half decent conversation going around here!"

Trixie giggled even harder at the insult but Barbara looked upset. "What on earth have I done wrong?" She moaned.

Delia felt instant regret at her words, she was angry with herself not her friends.

"Sorry Babs." She offered quickly.

"Nevermind Delia, I expect you're still not feeling your best, that's all." Barbara cheered somewhat.

"Thanks Babs." Delia accepted her friends kindness.

"I wouldn't be so forgiving if I were you Barbara, can't you see she is lining up your replacement with this Nurse Mount? I saw you whisk her away before anyone else got a look in last night Delia." Trixie accused.

"I better go." Was all Delia could manage, leaving poor Barbara looking a little bewildered.

As Delia left Nonnatus to hurry after Patsy to the maternity home, she ran slap bang straight into someone, before she could finish her hasty apology she realised exactly who.

The young man from last night, whom she had last seen scampering away from the scene was now standing large as life.

He grinned as he recognised her and she fled before he could speak, turning back only once when she felt far enough away, to notice that he was not alone, three other men stood just behind him and all four sets of eyes were set on her.

Xxx

"Patsy!" Delia stumbled into the room to find Dr Turner looking enchanted by his new acquaintance.

Patsy shot an unhappy glance at Delia, pinning her in place with her eyes.

"Nurse Busby, excellent I was just telling Nurse Mount that I'm going to pop home for half an hour and check on Angela, Mrs Turner needs a little reassurance I fear. No one is due before 11am so you can busy yourself showing Nurse Mount where everything is and I'll be back before you know it." He stopped to look thoughtfully again at Patsy, his grin wide and Delia cleared her throat.

"Yes Doctor." She said to his back.

The moment the door shut she turned. "Patsy! He's coming, the man from last night. I saw him in the street just a minute ago, he must have been watching you, us and he had friends." She blurted.

"How many?" Patsy asked calmly, her curiosity barely peaked.

"3 or 4, I can't be sure, I just wanted to get away, to find you, warn you. You have to run!." Delia raced on.

"I shall do no such thing. The boy from last night was young, newly turned, if other men are following him no doubt they are too. There is nothing to worry about. But of course if you're frightened you should go back to Nonnatus, you'll be safe there." Patsy assured.

"I'm not leaving you, but what can I do? You have to tell me, what will hurt them?" Delia asked looking around the room as if she may find a vampire slaying object propped up by the broom.

"If they come I will deal with them Delia, you must hide, it will make it easier for me if I'm not worried about your getting hurt." Patsy said, taking Delia by the shoulders and forcing the smaller woman to look her in the eye to see how serious she was on the matter.

Delia nodded unconvincingly and Patsy sighed.

"Fine. You better show me around this place then." Patsy changed the subject and tried her best to distract Delia, to no avail, so that 30 minutes later when the sound of the door thumping revealed not the expected Dr Turner but four scruffy looking young men, no one was at all surprised.

Xxx

"Evening ladies!" Called the ring leader. "I realised that last night I didn't get a proper chance to introduce myself, how remiss of me, my name is Daniel and the young lad you did away with was my younger brother Anthony."

As he spoke his little band of goons turned over trays and bed pans in a rather feeble attempt at intimidation. Patsy looked unimpressed, her arms folding over her chest looked more like an attempt to keep her hands to herself than a defensive stance.

"Well now that that has been rectified perhaps you would look like to escort your friends off the premises, I am rather busy, we can catch up some other time." Patsy smiled sweetly.

Two of the lads advanced upon Patsy from either side as the remaining one of them lunged for Delia, who quickly ducked beneath an exam table.

The men sprang away again and Delia missed exactly how Patsy had sent them flying across the room but all that was left now was the man called Daniel stepping slowly, carefully toward Patsy.

"You might think you have a good setup here, vulnerable women and babies, who's going to miss a few of them? But I'm here to tell you this is my turf!" He growled, his face deformed, his fangs catching the light as he craned his head back in laughter.

"Please, I have fashionable outfits older than you." Patsy quipped. "If you leave now I may let you survive, for a short time…"

He made his move, jumping not toward Patsy but at Delia, grabbing a handful of hair and dragging her out from her hiding place.

"This one!" He whooped seeing Patsy lose her bravado for a moment. "Is obviously a favourite! You haven't turned her but she knows what you are, you must actually care about it!" He took tight hold of Delia's upper arm as she wriggled in his grasp.

Patsy gave her a steadying look and Delia actually calmed, she would be okay.

She didn't notice the man behind Patsy until it was too late, however Patsy knew he was there, she already had a weapon to hand and she rammed it hard into his chest as she kicked out and sent his already fading body falling to the floor like thick snow.

Daniel's hand wrapped around Delia's throat and he began to squeeze, tighter and tighter.

"You'll pay for that!" He shouted, whether to Patsy or Delia or both.

Patsy leapt forward and struck a blow with her fist to his gut. He only slackened his grip on Delia slightly so that she was just able to swallow once before he constricted around her again. Patsy raised her stake and dug it hard and fast into Daniel's back, sending him to pieces on the air as she had the others.

Delia coughed and spluttered, her hands reaching for her own neck as if trying to free herself from something she still felt there.

"Delia?!" Patsy wrapped an arm about her gently, stroking her face with her palm. "Sweetheart, are you alright?"

Delia could not quite catch her breath and certainly had no voice, however her eyes went large and she suddenly snatched the forgotten stake from Patsy's other hand, turning from the embrace and slamming straight into one of the remaining men.

His face contorted and turned to paper, his last look frozen was one of shock.

Patsy stared at Delia. "I didn't realise you could fight!"

Delia swallowed a number of times before she spoke. "I can look after myself Patsy Mount." She declared. "Don't you forget it."

"I can see that." Patsy agreed.

"So, does that mean you'll stop trying to protect me and we can start this again?" Delia asked.

"Start what again exactly?" Patsy asked amused by Delia's cockiness.

Delia closed the gap between them, feeling exhilarated and placed a hand up to the sides of Patsy's head, gently guiding it down so she could kiss her soundly.

"Tempting." Patsy remarked as they broke apart. "Just too tempting."

Xxx


End file.
